Protein drinks, green shakes, and smoothies are just what you need to encourage healthy digestion, muscle-building, and weight loss. But you can’t make those drinks without one vital ingredient: a blender.
Finding the right blender is never easy. There are so many brands on the market that it can be hard to know which will be the right option for you.
Topic Contents
Vitamix vs Nutribullet – Initial Thoughts
Vitamix and Nutribullet are two of the most popular blenders around. They are two very different appliances, each with their own pros and cons. Below, you’ll find a complete, detailed Vitamix vs. Nutribullet blender comparison to help you decide which is better…
Size Considerations
If you need a blender for a multi-person household, the Vitamix is your best choice. With its 64-ounce container, it’s large enough to hold 3 or 4 servings at a time. You can blend a lot more at once, producing juice, protein shakes, or smoothies for a few people at once. The larger size makes it a more multi-use blender–it can be used to make sauces and soups as well.
However, if you’re the only one in your home who uses the blender, the compact Nutribullet is a good option. It comes with two cups: 12 and 24 ounces. This is up to 1 ½ servings of juice, shake, or smoothie, just enough for you with a little left over to share or store for later.
Winner: Nutribullet for individual use, Vitamix Series 750 Blender for multi-person use.
Power Perks
The 2 Horsepower engine of the Vitamix is designed to chop through just about anything! On the flip side, the Nutribullet only has a 600-watt motor, which is roughly 0.8 horsepower. Given the smaller size of the blender cup, it’s no surprise. However, for those who want to blend very tough or fibrous veggies, the Vitamix is a much stronger option.
Winner: Vitamix
Design Elements
The Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is designed like any regular blender: the large container sits atop a motor that spins the stainless steel blades. Gravity pulls the contents toward the narrow bottom of the container, where it is chopped to pieces. With multiple speeds and settings, the design of the Vitamix gives you more control over the consistency of your shake, juice, or smoothie.
However, when it comes to efficient slicing and dicing, the Nutribullet’s design makes it a much better choice. The blade attachment is screwed onto the wide mouth of the blender cup, and the wider blades (either two or four blades, depending on the attachment used) will slice through most ingredients with ease.
The Nutribullet’s design makes it more effective for turning your food into pureed liquid. Despite its lack of speeds and settings, it gets the job done.
Winner: Vitamin for versatility, Nutribullet
Heat Avoidance
The spinning of the blades generates friction, which in turn produces heat. For those who want to drink natural juices, heat is your worst enemy. Heat damages the antioxidants and enzymes in the fruits and vegetables, breaking them down before you can drink them. This basically deprives you of these vital nutrients, the whole reason you were drinking juice, smoothies, and shakes in the first place!
Vitamix boasts that it generates a lot of heat, warming up cold ingredients. This is great if you’re trying to make soups or stews, but not ideal for raw juices. The Nutribullet chops through the ingredients more quickly than the Vitamix, producing less heat (and thereby friction) as a result.
Winner: Nutribullet
Foam Minimization
One of the main downsides of the Nutribullet versus the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is the amount of foam is generates. The wider base of the Nutribullet blender cup allows for greater aeration of the liquid, so your juice often ends up with a very thick layer of foam. If you don’t want to let the juice sit for a few minutes, you drink a very foamy beverage.
With the Vitamix, on the other hand, you generate a lot less foam thanks to the narrow cup base. The reduced foam means the juice is exposed to less oxygen (which aerates the liquid), so the juice will last longer. If you plan on storing your juice or smoothie, the Vitamix is the better option.
Winner: Vitamix
Price and Value
This is a tough one to compare, as Vitamix vs Nutribullet are very similar here
The initial cost of the Nutribullet is significantly lower–around $80 (check here for the latest price) compared to the $400 price tag on the Vitamix (check here for latest price). The Nutribullet comes with two blades, two cups, resealable lids, and two lip rings. The Vitamix is nothing more than the blender and its base. Initially, the Nutribullet is the clear winner.
A number of users have commented that the Vitamix burned out after a year of use, even using it just once a week. Perhaps they received defective models, but it reflects the quality of the Vitamix over the long term.
Nutribullet users have reported a design flaw: “It’s chopping so fast that it vibrates the top loose”. Many users have returned their blender due to this flaw, but the solution is a simple one: hold the cup as it blends.
The blender is also designed with a fail-safe that if any of the three rubber contacts on the blender fall off, the blender won’t work. However, despite these flaws, there are no reports of the blender breaking down after only a few months of use.
Winner: Nutribullet (despite the design flaws)
Vitamix vs Nutribullet Customer Service
Multiple Amazon reviewers have commented on the poor quality of Vitamix customer service:
“After 2 months of repeated voicemail messages and emails on the Contact Us, we have yet been able to speak with a customer service representative.”
“The down side is that once you buy one, you’re on their aggressive mailing/e-mailing/phoning list for life. You can request that they not call you/spam you/mail you, but that only verifies that they have your address and number correct, and they redouble their efforts to sell you a Vitamix, knowing full well that you already own a Vitamix.”
“If you complain to Vitamix they just send you a new jar, but it doesn’t help since it’s an engineering problem that the company does not seem willing to address.”
Nutribullet customers have also had a hard time dealing with customer service:
“The company gave me an insanely difficult time returning it. I was willing to pay the shipping back but that didn’t matter. I finally got them to return it with a $25 restocking fee plus shipping.”
“I was told I would receive my replacement in 7-10 days. It’s been over a month since I had the problem and first contacted them. I’ve made half a dozen phone calls and traded a dozen emails with them and still don’t have a replacement.”
“After 21 emails, 4 phone calls and 5 weeks I received my replacement.”
Winner: Nutribullet (but just barely)
Real User Reviews
Here are a few positive things customer have to say about the Nutribullet :
It’s powerful — “I have put carrots, ice, apples and FLAX seeds all at once in here and it comes out smooth as silk – no problem.”
Clean-up is easy — “The Nutri Bullet literally rinses clean in ten seconds.”
Beautiful product — “The NutriBullet is compact enought to sit on your counter. Has awesome power and looks so nice out of the box, you almost don’t want to use it.”
Here are a few positive things customer have to say about the Vitamix:
Great for smoothies — “There is a significant difference in a smoothie made with one of these and one made with a $50 blender.”
Solid, workhorse appliance — ” I use one to blend soups and make cream sauces. I use it to blend fresh fruit smoothies and iced drinks. It is ideal for making guacamole. It is perfect for fast jobs around any kitchen. It is very quiet and stable.”
User-friendly — “The Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is easy and quick to use. The unit comes fully assembled and ready to use.”
Vitamix vs Nutribullet – The OVERALL Winner
When it comes down to it, it’s all about your needs:
- For a workhorse, multi-purpose blender that can accommodate shakes, smoothies, soups, sauces, and juices, try the Vitamix. With more power and a larger container size, it’s a cook’s best friend.
- For a single-person, highly efficient blender specifically used for juices, shakes, and smoothies, the Nutribullet is your best friend. It is designed to liquefy just about anything, and it’s a much cheaper purchase (see here).
Alt Protein Team is a team of professionals and enthusiasts committed to bringing you the most up-to-date information on alternative protein, health and wellness, workouts, and all things health-related. We’ve reviewed a lot of products and services so you don’t have to guess when you spend your hard-earned money on them. Whether you want to shed some pounds, build lean muscle or bulk, we can help you figure out what you need to do and what you need to have to achieve your goals.